Monthly Archives: February 2016

SC: 3/13 UKEEP UCLA Patient Education Program

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March is kidney month, and UCLA is launching their Kidney Education Enhancement Program, “UKEEP,” on March 13, 2016 in Santa Monica.  This workshop will give a comprehensive overview of the kidneys, what happens when they don’t work properly, and what you can do about it!  Learn from a multidisciplinary team of experts who will provide free education about kidney disease, medications, diet, treatment options, insurance, and other important information that can help guide future decisions related to your health and lifestyle.  See https://www.nwrn.org/images/pdf/UKEEPFlyer.pdf for details.  RSVP soon at (800) 516-5323; seating is limited.

3/2 CW 2744 Training

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For the CROWNWeb 2744 training session on March 2, 2016 that covers the purpose, completion, and usage of CMS Form 2744 Annual Facility Survey, register at http://mycrownweb.org/pcw_lems/completing-the-2015-cms-2744-annual-facility-survey-training-encore/ .  The usage section will demonstrate how to assure that your 2744 is accurate and complete, as it must be before April 1, 2016.

NHSN: 2/29 Training, Annual Training, Report Fixed

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See https://nwrnbulletins.wordpress.com/2016/02/10/229-webstream-nhsn-training/ for details about webstreaming the live February 29-March 4, 2016 NHSN Training on Applying the 2016 Changes to Accurately Report HAIs.

The CMS ESRD QIP requires that all NHSN users who participate in Dialysis Event Surveillance must complete the self-paced online Dialysis Event Surveillance training at http://nhsn.cdc.gov/nhsntraining/courses/2016/C18/ , and read the NHSN Dialysis Event Surveillance Protocol at http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/PDFs/pscManual/8pscDialysisEventcurrent.pdf , annually.  After completing the training, you may be eligible to receive 1.5 CME, 1.3 CNE credits, or 0.1 CEUs free.  Email questions about the annual training to the NHSN helpdesk at nhsn@cdc.gov , entering “Dialysis Training” in the subject line.

Following the January 9, 2016 NHSN release, the “Line Listing – Dialysis Practices Survey v.8.3-8.5” (for 2015 and 2016) report was not displaying properly; this has now been fixed. 

CW, QIP100 Down 3/16-21, CW Down Evenings

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CROWNWeb and QIP 1.0.0 will not be accessible between 5 pm PST Wednesday March 16, 2016 and 9 pm PST Monday March 21, due to extended system maintenance.

In addition, until future notice CROWNWeb will not be available for about an hour, starting at 6 pm PST, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and from 5 pm till 6:30 pm on Tuesdays.  The System Restarts taking place at these times are intended to resolve delays in CROWNWeb response time.

Please plan accordingly, as these outages may affect your timelines for completing CROWNWeb activities.  In addition to your usual data entry and correction:

  • Reviewed and corrected 2744 forms are due at Network offices by April 1, 2016  
  • If your facility was selected for CROWNWeb Data Validation, your response is due within sixty days after the date of your January participation letter

See http://mycrownweb.org/news/ for the latest CROWNWeb news bulletins.

9/23 AAKP Nat’l Patient Meeting, Nashville

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The 2016 AAKP National Patient Meeting will be held September 23-25, 2016 in Nashville.  Registration isn’t open yet, but once it does you’ll have until June 30 to get the early registration discount.  Room reservations are available now; the group rate on rooms runs through August 31.  For details as they develop, see https://www.aakp.org/community/programs-events/aakp-national-patient-meeting.html .

2/25 CW Town Hall re PART

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CROWNWeb will hold a Town Hall about Have You Done Your PART? on February 25, 2016.  The “PART” (Patient Attributes and Related Treatments) screen in CROWNWeb provides users with a means of ensuring that patient census, admit/discharges status, current treatment summary and patients’ current attending physician are correct.  Verifying data on the PART screen helps to reduce the number of patients who are in CROWNWeb limbo.  Reviewing and correcting this data also facilitates 2744 completion.  For more details and to register for the Town Hall see http://mycrownweb.org/pcw_community_events/have-you-done-your-part-town-hall/ .

QIP: 2/28 ICH CAHPS Exemption Deadline; New Admin Manual

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Small dialysis facilities which are not required by the CMS QIP to administer ICH CAHPS may now choose between requesting an exemption annually, and requesting to be removed from the list of eligible facilities, but they must do one or the other before February 28, 2016.  A facility which subsequently treats 30 or more patients must re-register for ICH CAHPS.  For details see https://ichcahps.org/GeneralInformation/Announcements/tabid/269/EntryId/318/Default.aspx . 

ICH CAHPS has released a new version (4.0) of its Administration and Specifications Manual.  The new Manual is effective now and supersedes all earlier editions.  Find a copy at https://ichcahps.org/SurveyandProtocols/SurveyMaterials.aspx .

Last Day for NKF SCM Early Registration

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February 19, 2016, is the last day for discounted early registration to attend the NKF 2016 Spring Clinical Meetings, to be held April 27 to May 1, 2016 in Boston.  Register at https://www.kidney.org/spring-clinical/registration/fees .  Find complete information on the Conference at https://www.kidney.org/spring-clinical .  Discounted registration is available only to members, but if you wish you can join at https://www.kidney.org/spring-clinical/membership .

QIP: Emergency Closures

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CMS has finalized a rule (79 FR 66189) to exempt dialysis facilities from all ESRD QIP requirements during the time that the facility was forced to close temporarily due to a natural disaster or other extraordinary circumstances beyond the facility’s control.  

To request an CMS Disaster Extension/Exception Request Form (“ECE”) for a closure that occurred during 2015, facilities must submit their request to receive an ECE Form via email to ESRDQIP@cms.hhs.org , and file the ECE through http://www.qualitynet.org , no later than April 15, 2016.

The facility email request to ESRDQIP@cms.hhs.org must contain all of the following information:

  • Facility CCN and Name
  • CEO name and contact information
  • Additional contact name and contact information
  • Reason for requesting an exception
  • Dates affected
  • Date facility will start (or started) submitting data again, with justification for this date
  • Evidence of the impact of the extraordinary circumstances, including but not limited to photographs and newspaper or other media coverage

For emergency closures caused by a natural disaster or other extraordinary circumstances beyond the facility’s control during 2016 and beyond, ESRD facilities must request an ECE from ESRDQIP@cms.hhs.org via email, and file it through http://www.qualitynet.org , within 90 days after the end of the emergency event.